Adjustable ladder attachment for supporting paint pails



June 13, 1939. R MANSFlELD 2,162,022

ADJUSTABLE LADDER ATTACHMENT FOR SUPPORTING PAINT PAILs Filed April 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3? Fig.1.

60 Inventor."

, .Rogerfl limsfa'sld,

J 13, 1939- v R. MANSFIEILD 2,162,022

ADJUSTABLE LADDER ATTACHMENT FOR SUPPORTING PAINT FAILS Filed April 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor. flogcrjfans'fzbld,

'40 y M 6 LMM Patented June 13, 1939 I QFFIQ E ADJUSTABLE EADDER A'ILTACHlVIENT. FOR; SUPPORTING PAINT FAILS Roger Mansfield, Dorchester, Mass.

Application April: 6; 1938, Serial No; 200,307;

6 Claim.

This invention relates to adjustable attachments to ladders for supporting paint pails and.

consists of a device which may be clamped in any desired position to a side bar of a ladder, said device being provided with a support for the paint pail which always may be retained horizontal regardless of the angle inwhich the ladder may be positioned.

The invention further consists in making the attachment demountable so that it will occupy a minimum amount of space when being carried-to and from the point wherethe painting isto be done.

The invention further consists in making the attachment adjustable so-that it may be-used conveniently by either a right-handed or a lefthanded painter.

The invention further consists in providing means whereby the pail bracket maybe adjusted to the most convenient height for the painter.

The object of the invention is theproduction of an inexpensive paint pail support which may be quickly attached to and adjusted lengthwise of a ladder and under all conditions retain the pail bracket in a horizontal position.

These objects are attained by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this formhaving been found to give satisfactory and reliable-results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities' of which the invention consists cambe -variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited. to the precise arrangement and or ganization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an. attachment for ladders adapted to be adjustable lengthwise thereof and. support a paint pail in horizontal position.

Figure 2 represents a front elevation of the same.

Similar characters indicate. like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings,

In the drawings, IO-isone side bar of an ordinary ladder having rungs l-l extending to the other side bar'of said ladder. r-.= v:

Slidably mounted on the side bar Ill is a U- shaped member I2, the flanges l3',i3a: of whichstraddle'the bar I01 Coacting with the member I2 is another U- shaped member l4 having flanges l5 and It, the flange l5'being at one side of the bar l2 while the flange I 6 extends along the outer side of the flange [3x of-"member 12'.

The member I4 is movable toward the member It" so that these-members l2 and M are adjustable relatively to eacli other in order to accommodate this device I 2r',|'4 to various thicknesses of side bars Ill.

Secured. to theflange I6 is a handle ll having a plurality of alined holes [8 extending therethrough, either-of which is adapted tocoact with a protruding pin i9 extending from aside face of the member l2,

The inner face of flange I5 is curved as shown at 20 so that the member i l-may be tilted to disconnect the pin l9 from a hole !8 to -permit adjustment of the members l2",| l" relatively to each other and then allow the pinl9' to be inserted intoanother hole I8 when: the proper adjustment has been made.

The member l2 has threaded thereto two clamping bolts 2} which are adapted to impinge upon the upper face of bar It and draw the member l4 tightly against the underside of said bar so that the device l2,l4 is securely locked to the bar H1- until further adjustment of said device l2,l4 lengthwise of bar is required.

Extending upwardly from the member I2 is a forked member 22 which may be removed from said member I2 when desired.

The-lower end ofthe forked member 22 has secured thereto a disk 23 having oppositely disposed arms 24'', V

The disk 23 is disposed in a cylindrical chamber 25 within the upper wall of member [2 and from this chamber two oppositely disposed slots 26 extend through the wall of member I2.

When the forked member 22 is secured to member l2 the arms 24 bear against the wall of the chamber and the forked member 22 is prevented from turning about its axis by a pin 21 extending through a hole in the flange 28 and into a socket in the member I2.

When it is desired to remove the forked member 22 from member 12 the pin 21 is removed and the 55 forked member 22 is moved about its axis until the arms 24 are opposite the slots 26, at which time said arms 24 may be moved through the slots 26, thus separating the members l2 and 22.

In the end of the forked member 22 is mounted one end 29 of a vertical arm 30 having a long slot 3| extending lengthwise thereof.

Into the slot 3| extends a bracket 32 carrying a support 33 for a paint pail 34, said support 33 having a plurality of upward projections 35 to prevent the displacement of said pail.

The bail 36 of the pail 34 is disposed over the hook 3'! projecting from a slidable member 38 in the slot 3| and adapted to be locked in adjusted position by means of a clamp nut 39 on a threaded V stud 40 extending from said member 38.

In the same manner the supporting bracket 32 has a threaded stud 4| extending therefrom on which is a clamp nut 42 by which the bracket 32 may be securely locked to the arm 30.

By these clamping means the support 33 and hook 31 may be adjusted relatively to each other to make allowance for pails of different sizes.

In the same manner the support 33 and hook 31 may both be adjusted lengthwise of the arm to bring the pail 34 into the most convenient position for the painter to reach while painting.

Regardless of the angle of the ladder when in use it is desirable to have the arm 30 vertical and the support 33 horizontal.

In order to accomplish this the lower end 29 of arm 30 is flattened and pivoted on a stud 43 extending therethrough and through the forked member 22.

This flattened end 29 has a plurality of holes 44 extending therethrough to receive a locking pin 45 extending through the forked member 22, thereby providing a means whereby the angle of the arm 30 relatively to forked member 22 may be varied as desired.

When the arm 30 is properly positioned it is locked by means of the nut 46 threaded to the headed stud 43.

The handle I! is disposed between two ears 4? projecting from one side of the member l2.

The member I2 is provided with two hooks 48 projecting from one side thereof and the member I4 is provided with two hooks 49 and between these hooks 48,49 are springs 50 which tend to move the member l4 toward the member l2 and into contact with the bar l0 whenthe device I2, J 4' ismounted on said bar.

The ofiice of the springs 50 is to bring the member I 4 against the under side of the bar In but the actual clamping of the device l2,l4 to the bar I0 is accomplished by means of the bolts 2|.

By means of this device the support for the paint pail maybe adjusted to any desired position on the vertical arm 30 into such position that the pail may be readily reached by the painter during the painting operation.

It is obvious that means is provided whereby the paint pail cannot slide outwardly off its support 33.

Likewise, means is provided whereby the paint pail cannot be tilted owing to the bail 36 being disposed upon the hook 31.

The entire mechanism may be removed from the right hand bar 10 of the ladder and secured to the other bar of the ladder and then the paint pail will be in convenient position for a left handed painter.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An attachment for ladders for use by painters and similar workmen comprising a device slidable lengthwise of a side bar of a ladder and adapted to be clamped thereto, an elongated arm pivotally mounted on said device and extending upwardly therefrom, means for locking said arm in verticalposition regardless of the inclination of the latter, a support for a paint pail adjustable lengthwise of said arm and to various heights above said clamping device, and means for looking said support to. said arm in adjusted position.

2. An attachment for ladders as set forth in claim 1 in which the clamping device consists of two coacting U-shaped members each straddling the bar of the ladder and springs for moving said members toward each other. one of said members being provided with clamp screws adapted to impinge upon said bar.

3. An attachment for ladders as set forth in claim 1 in which said arm is provided above said pail support with an independently adjustable hook member extending outwardly to receive the bail of the paint pail.

4. An attachment for ladders as set forth in claim 1 in which the clamping device consists of two coacting U-shaped members each straddling the bar of the ladder and adjustable toward each other, one of said members being provided'with clamp screws adapted to impinge upon said bar and having a pin projecting from one side thereof and the other member being provided with a handle having a row of holes therein either of which is adapted to receive said pin whereby said members may be locked together.

5. An attachment for ladders as set forth in claim 1 in which the armis adapted to be locked in various positions to a forked member extend ing upwardly and outwardly from the clamping device, said forked member being provided with means whereby it may be disconnected from said clamping device.

6. An attachment for ladders as set forth in claim 1 in which the clamping device consists of two coacting U-shaped members each straddling the bar of the ladder and said members being adjustable toward each other, one of said members being provided with clamp screws adapted to impinge upon said bar.

ROGER MANSFIELD. 

